For our weekly SoCal IP Institute meeting on Monday, August 15, 2016, we will discuss the following:

Arendi S.A.R.L. v. Apple Inc. (Fed. Cir. August 10, 2016) (available here). Apple filed a petition for inter partes review of Arendi’s patent directed to providing beneficial coordination between a first computer program displaying a document and a second computer program for searching an external information source.  The Patent Trial and Appeal Board found that certain claims of the patent would have been obvious.  The Federal Circuit reversed, finding that the Board misapplied the law on the permissible use of common sense in an obviousness analysis.

Russell Road Food and Beverage, LLC v. Spencer.  (9th Cir. July 22, 2016 ) (available here). In a trademark dispute involving the use of the mark CRAZY HORSE for entertainment services, namely exotic dance performances, the district court granted of summary judgment to plaintiff.  On appeal, the Ninth Circuit affirmed, agreeing with the district court’s finding that the plaintiff was the assignee of a valid trademark co-existence agreement entered into with the former owner of the registered mark and therefore had the right to use the mark.

All are invited to join us on Monday, August 15, 2016, at noon in our Westlake Village office. This activity is approved for 1 hour of MCLE credit. If you will be joining us, please RSVP to Elisha Manzur by 9 am Monday morning.